Through the Dark
by redskybluecherry
Summary: After Nikki Bella betrays her sister Brie at SummerSlam, everything changes: Her relationship with her family and her boyfriend, John Cena, falls apart as she aligns herself with the Authority and approaches new opportunities. But what happens when Mr. Money in the Bank starts making things even more complicated? [Nikki Bella/Seth Rollins]; Rated T for now.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I own nothing (except the storyline).**

**Chapter 1**

**-Summer Slam- **

The roar of the crowd and the 'boos' that had filled the arena were still echoing inside Nikki's head as she made her way back backstage. She kept her head down so she wouldn't have to see the looks people gave her as she walked, and because she didn't want anyone to see the flickering of emotions in her eyes.  
>Yes, she had just betrayed her twin sister, she had cost Brie her match against Stephanie McMahon. But what nobody seemed to understand was what Nikki had to go through beforehand: She was constantly put in Handicap-matches, was victimized and beat up by orders of Stephanie – but not because she had done anything wrong, but because Brie had started her own personal war with McMahon and had left the company, thereby leaving Nikki behind on her own, alone and defenseless.<br>Even after Stephanie pedigreed Nikki right in front of Brie and Triple H, Brie did not stop her fight against McMahon so her sister would be put out of her misery – she had continued, knowing what punishment and pain this meant for her twin.  
><em>But they don't care about that<em>, Nikki thought. _All they see is me stabbing Brie in the back, so they blame me for everything._

She tried to put on her best poker face and suppress all feelings of guilt, tried to tell herself it was Brie who had been selfish, who had abandoned her, but it didn't work completely. Even though Nikki had felt satisfaction seeing her sister be put in the situation she had been in for months, she still felt some sadness over her act.

When she had finally arrived at the locker room, she grabbed her bag and left immediately – she didn't want to put up with the accusations and the gazes of the other Divas today, she was upset enough already.  
>As she walked down the hallway quickly, she suddenly heard someone call for her:<br>"So I guess this means you're on our side now, Bella. Smart move."  
>Nikki turned around, only to see the Authority's golden boy and the self-proclaimed Architect of the Shield, Seth Rollins, looking at her with a smug look on his face.<br>"Leave me alone, Rollins, I'm not in the mood", Nikki hissed.  
>"Why so unfriendly? I was only complementing you for making the right move, nothing else", he grinned.<br>"Well it's none of your business, so don't pretend you know me when you know nothing at all", Nikki said angrily as she started walking away from him.  
>He grabbed her arm and turned her around. "And here I thought if there was someone in this company that knows what you're going through right now, it would be me" he said, giving her an intense look that made Nikki feel uncomfortable.<br>She was starting to feel both insecure and extremely annoyed. "Well, then you were wrong" she managed to get out as she freed herself from his grasp and walked away, more quickly this time.  
>Seth laughed, still seeming as self-satisfied as ever. "We'll be seeing each other again soon, Bella!" he shouted before Nikki had finally made her way to the exit of the building.<p>

As Nikki was driving to her hotel, she heard her mobile phone vibrating on the seat next to her. As soon as she arrived in her room, she checked her phone to see who had called her. It was John. _Shit_, she thought._ I had totally forgotten about what John was going to think about my actions._ She sighed and called him back.  
>The moment her boyfriend picked up, she knew the call would not go well.<br>"Nicole, what the hell were you thinking?! Stabbing your own sister in the back?! I never thought you would be capable of doing something so… so _detestable_!" John shouted at her as Nikki tried to keep as calm as possible and not break out into tears.  
>"John, I know you cannot understand this, but believe me, I had my reasons", Nikki tried to calm him down.<br>"You're completely right, I cannot understand why you did it, because there was absolutely no rational reason for it!" he shouted, still as upset as before.  
>"John please, if you would just let me explain-"<br>"Explain WHAT, Nicole? Why you turned on your own family without ever telling me there was something wrong between you and your sister?! I… I really don't know what to say. If this is the new you then … I'm not sure I wanna be with you anymore."  
>Nikki felt a single tear running down her cheek.<br>"John please… can we talk about this in person?"  
>She heard him sighing, and after a few moments of silence he answered, in a calmer voice this time: "Okay. But don't think an apology or some stupid explanation is going to change my mind." He hung up.<br>Nikki buried her face in her hands, trying to forget about everything just for a few seconds, but it didn't work. She didn't know if she should cry or scream.  
>But what she did know was that she had had enough for today.<br>After changing into her nightgown, removing her make-up and brushing her teeth, she swallowed a sleeping pill just to make sure she wouldn't lay up all night thinking about what had happened today, and went to bed.

**-The next day-**

Although Nikki had tried to explain her reasons for turning on her sister to the WWE Universe on _Raw_, the audience had still only booed her. There was even a "You sold out!"-chant going on, the same phrase the crowd had been shouting at Seth Rollins ever since he had betrayed his former Shield companions, Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns. _But it's not the same, I'm not like him. I'm nowhere near like him_, Nikki told herself as she made her way backstage. Whether it was really true or if she simply desperately wanted it to be, she didn't really know, but she didn't want to think about it either.  
>Stephanie had remained fully supportive of Nikki throughout the evening and had told her to pay a visit to her office later, to officially welcome Nikki as a part of the Authority. <em>Well at least she has kept her part of the deal<em>, Nikki thought with a small smile.  
>Most of the other girls ignored her or stared at her with hateful glares, but there were some exceptions, which Nikki was thankful for. She couldn't afford to have the whole Division against her.<p>

She changed into a different dress, put on some fresh lipstick and then made her way right to Stephanie's office.  
>Despite Stephanie's support, Nikki felt a little nervous. Except for Stephanie, she was going to be the only female part of the Authority. She hoped everybody would take her seriously. <em>And if they don't, I'll simply teach them a lesson<em>, she thought, smiling.

"Well, to say I'm happy that you're joining us, Nikki, would be an understatement", Stephanie said, wearing her ever-so-perfect and professional smile. "Let me just say that your decision last night was definitely the right one, and we are all delighted to officially welcome you to the Authority!" Stephanie and the other members of the Authority – Triple H, Rollins, Kane, and Randy Orton – raised their glasses and toasted to Nikki. Although Nikki knew that all this was superficial – the Authority could quickly become extremely unfriendly with you if you only made one wrong move – she couldn't help but feel pleasant being the center of attention. As she emptied her glass, she got the overwhelming feeling of someone watching her – she looked up only to see Seth Rollins stare at her with that incredibly smug look on his face. She rolled her eyes and sent him an angry glare, which seemed to make his smirk grow even wider.  
>She turned away then, and started talking to Randy Orton instead, who seemed a little surprised at her doing so – he was one of John's biggest rivals, after all. <em>But how would he know that John's practically done with me<em>. Nikki tried to keep her smile as bright as she could, and no one seemed to notice her short change of mood.  
>Despite not being incredibly interesting, to her surprise, Randy was actually pretty easy to talk to. And when Nikki noticed how upset Seth seemed to for being fully ignored, she decided maybe this was going to be not so bad after all. She didn't like Rollins at all, she thought of as him disgusting and annoying in fact, but it sure was fun making him mad, especially because he seemed so incredibly full of himself all the time.<p>

After her welcoming ceremony was over, Nikki felt a little exhausted – it had been a long day, and all the talking and the champagne had done the rest.  
>She made her way to the parking lot, just as she accidently ran into someone – a large and strong someone, in fact. Nikki excused herself, only to look up into the eyes of John Cena.<br>"John, I… I'm sorry, I didn't see you."  
>"Yeah, whatever Nicole. I just heard that you officially aligned yourself with the Authority. I'm honestly surprised how stupid I was to ever trust you. I never thought you would be able to do something like this."<br>"John, please, don't say something like that. I thought we could meet up and talk about his in private, I didn't want you to find out like this, I…"  
>"You know what, Nicole? Save your breath. I am incredibly disappointed with you. And don't you make up some stupid excuses for your behavior. This one's all on you."<br>Nikki tried to keep from crying, and to her surprise, she actually managed to hold the tears back, if only for a while. "Does this mean you're breaking up with me?" she asked looking up at him, hoping he would see something in her eyes that would make him understand, if only a little bit.  
>"I feel like I don't even know you anymore" John said. "I'm sorry but I can't be together with someone who lies to me, turns on her own family, and doesn't take any responsibility for her actions. I'm done." He turned around and left, not once looking back as the inevitable tears started rolling down Nikki's cheeks. She didn't even know if she was really crying for him or just crying because of losing someone this close to her. They had been together for 2 years, and despite many fights and tears, she had hoped she had finally found the man she wanted to stay with for the rest of her life.<p>

"You should be glad you're rid of him. He was nothing but an obstacle in your way to the top."  
>Nikki turned around, only to see Seth Rollins standing right in front of her, looking at her with a mixture of his usual arrogance and something else, an expression she hadn't seen in his face before. But right then and there, she didn't care one bit about it. All she cared about was the way he always had this way of bringing her down, of annoying her, and this time he had definitely chosen the wrong moment for his smart ass remarks.<br>"Leave me the fuck alone, Rollins! My relationship with John is none of your business so stay the fuck out of it!"  
>"Whoa, calm down. I was only paying you a compliment – Cena's a loser and an asshole, he didn't even treat you well and now you're defending him?"<br>She slapped him as hard as she could. By the shocked look on his face she could tell she had caught him by surprise, which satisfied her, in some way.  
>"No matter what John put me through sometimes, at least he always knew how to treat a lady", she hissed, turning around to walk away.<br>He stopped her, catching her by surprise. There were only inches between their faces now, and for a moment, he only looked her in the eye with that same weird expression she had noticed in his eyes before. It was making her nervous, even though she did not know why. Finally, after a few seconds that seemed to last forever, he spoke: "A lady, huh? Then I guess I'll be keeping that in mind. Have a good night, Bella." He smiled a little, then left her alone.  
><em>What the hell was THAT all about?!<em> she thought, but because she had been exhausted before her conversations with John and Seth already and she was even more exhausted now, she didn't want to think about it.

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><p><strong>So this is the first chapter! Do you like it? If not, why? Please let me know :)<strong>  
><strong>Also, this is my very first fanfiction, so I really hope it's not too bad.<strong>  
><strong>Cheers!<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**First of all: Thank you guys so much for all the support and positive feedback!**  
><strong>It really means so much to me! (:<strong>  
><strong>I hope I won't disappoint you guys! That said, I really don't like how this chapter turned out… it's too short and I'm not really sure if I like it or not… please let me know what you think and if you have any idea for improvement or criticism, please let me know, too!<strong>  
><strong>Cheers!<strong>

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><p><strong>Chapter 2<strong>

- _**Monday Night Raw**_**, a few weeks later -  
><strong>

Nikki felt overwhelmed. Stephanie McMahon had just officially announced that she was granted a shot at the Divas Championship at _Night of Champions_. Everything had been perfect – until A.J. Lee, Paige AND Nikki's twin sister Brie had to get involved and try and ruin her night. Even Stephanie, who was usually incredibly professional, seemed visibly annoyed with the interruption.  
><em>Once again Brie wanted to steal the spotlight from me<em>, Nikki thought. _But this time, it's finally my turn to shine. It's my turn to show everyone that I'm the better Bella. _She smiled confidently as she made her way out of the arena.

Despite the incident with Brie and the two other Divas, the evening had played out quite well – Nikki finally had a title shot, and nobody was able to take it away from her. That's why she was in the mood to celebrate – her schedule tomorrow wasn't too tight and she had not been on a night out since… _since my last date with John_, she finished the thought, swallowing.  
><em>But no, I'm not going to let John or Brie or anybody else ruin my mood tonight. I've waited for this opportunity for so long, and now it's finally there<em>.

Nikki pulled out her phone and sent text messages to Summer Rae and Cameron, asking them if they wanted to party. There were several Divas that had remained fairly civil towards Nikki after she turned on Brie at SummerSlam, but Summer and Cameron were by far the friendliest. Especially Cameron seemed to understand Nikki's actions – she was still involved in a feud with her former best friend and tag team partner Naomi, after all.  
>Nikki hesitated and pondered whether she should text Natalya as well, but then decided not to. Nattie had tried her best to keep out of Nikki's and Brie's fight and stay friends with both of them, so Nikki didn't want to make her choose and thereby hurt her. Nattie had always been a loyal friend, and was one of the few Divas that had not judged Nikki, which she was thankful for.<p>

When she arrived at her hotel room, Nikki checked her messages – Summer had a tight schedule tomorrow, so she couldn't afford to spend the night clubbing, but Cameron had time and was in the mood. Nikki told her to meet up in the lobby in an hour, and then quickly started picking her outfit and getting ready.  
>After changing clothes and applying her make-up, Nikki checked the mirror, decided she looked good, and then left her room and went for the elevator.<p>

She pushed the button and waited.  
>The elevator arrived, the door opened – and right before Nikki stood none other than Seth Rollins, all dressed-up and seemingly ready to go out.<br>The two of them had not interacted much since Nikki had slapped Seth and he had given her that weird look, except for Rollins' usual insolent remarks, which mostly annoyed her.  
>As she entered the elevator, Nikki tried to contain her surprise and ignore the ever so cocky grin on Rollins' face.<br>"Well well, look who we have here. Why, if it isn't the next Divas Champion."  
>"Save your fake ass kissing, Rollins", Nikki said, giving him a glare. "I'm actually in the mood for celebration tonight, so you can take all your stupid comments and throw them at me, I won't let <em>you<em> ruin _my_ night."  
>Nikki smiled. It felt good to turn the tables on Rollins for once.<br>But apparently, she had celebrated too early.  
>"Well, as it turns out, <em>Bella<em>, I'm ready to go out myself. And because of my unmeasurable kindness, I might even buy you a drink." He smirked.  
>"First of all, it's <em>Nikki<em>. And second of all, I think I'll be having a much nicer evening _without_ your 'unmeasurable kindness'", she said, putting on a fake smile.  
><em>Bing!<em> The elevator had arrived at the first floor.  
><em>Finally<em>, Nikki thought.  
>Before she could walk away, however, Seth managed whisper in her ear: "You have no idea what you're missing out on, <em>Nikki<em>."  
>Somehow, Nikki felt herself tingle at his words. <em>It's only because he's so disgusting<em>, she reassured herself.  
>"I don't even want to know, <em>Rollins<em>" she said with as much self-confidence she could muster, and started walking towards Cameron, who had already spotted her and waved.  
>She could still hear him chuckling in the background.<p>

It was late. Nikki didn't know how late _exactly_, but it seemed pretty late. She and Cameron had had one hell of a good time: They had talked, gossiped, drank, giggled, and then perhaps had one or two shots too many.  
>Of course, there had been some idiots who had tried to chat them up, but they had quickly gotten rid of them.<p>

After calling a cab and arriving back at the hotel, the two separated and Nikki made her way to her room.  
>As she stood in the elevator and looked at the reflection of herself in the mirrored walls surrounding her, she felt a sudden wave of loneliness come over her. She didn't know if it was the alcohol or something else, but she had already grabbed her phone and scrolled through her contacts, stopping at John's number.<br>For one second, she thought about calling him. Then she decided she knew better, and put her phone back in her bag.  
>To her surprise and shock, she suddenly found herself thinking about Seth Rollins.<br>_You're drunk. You're just confusing things_, she told her inner self, as she walked out of the elevator and back to her room.

Before she could look for her key though, she heard an all-too-familiar voice right behind her: "So you did have a good night after all, huh?"  
>Nikki inwardly groaned as she turned around to face Mr. Money in the Bank himself, looking at her with his usual smugness.<br>"Yes I had, not that it's any of _your_ business, _Rollins_", she hissed, trying to look as confident as possible.  
>"So I'm still just <em>Rollins<em>, even though I called you Nikki before?" he said, smirking.  
>He took one step closer to her, and even though every voice of reason in Nikki's head told her to just turn away from him, she somehow couldn't bring herself to it.<br>"What's it to you?" Nikki asked, noticing her voice had suddenly gone softer, even though she hadn't meant it to.  
>He didn't answer her, he only looked her in the eyes for what seemed like an eternity. Nikki felt a strange feeling shoot through her body, something she couldn't quite place.<br>A sudden sound coming from a room near them brought them both back to reality.  
>"You, uh, should look for your room. I don't want you stalking me all night" she said, her voice shaking a little.<br>"Actually, my room is just down the hallway, so don't flatter yourself, _Nikki", _he answered with a smirk, and then walked away.  
>Nikki quickly pulled out her key and got into her room. She leaned against the door and took a deep breath.<p>

Despite her trying as hard as she could to push all thoughts of Seth Rollins out of her mind, Nikki found herself thinking about him as she fell asleep.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, except the storyline.**

**FYI: This will go slightly more AU from here on, because the idea of Triple H and Stephanie forcing Nikki and Seth to be a pretend power couple to represent the Authority came to my mind and I thought it could be fun, so I really hope you like it! (:**

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><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

**Monday Night Raw, 2 weeks before **_**Night of Champions**_

After Nikki had finished her match against Emma, pinning her opponent for a three-count after her finishing manouver, the _Rack Attack_, Nikki headed backstage to the locker room, and after she had showered and put on some fresh clothes, she made her way to the office of her boss and fellow Authority member, Stephanie McMahon.  
>Stephanie had told Nikki right before the start of <em>Raw <em>that she and her husband, Triple H, wanted to talk to Nikki about an important business plan involving her.  
>Nikki wondered what they had in mind for her. <em>But it can only be something exciting<em>, the thought. _Stephanie hasn't given me a shot at the Divas title for nothing.  
><em>She knocked on the door of the office of the so-called _Billionaire Princess_, and not a second too late, Stephanie opened the door, giving Nikki her brightest smile.  
>"Nikki, it's <em>so pleasant <em>to see you. _Please _come in."  
>Nikki had wondered many times if there was something real to McMahon's friendliness or if it was simply all fake. She tended to adjudge the latter option as true.<br>She did not have much time to think about it this time, however, as she had to try to not let any look on her face give away her surprise when she stepped into the room and saw _Seth Rollins_ standing next to Triple H, the usual smug look on his face.  
>"<em>Nikki<em>, what a pleasant surprise" he said, grinning.  
><em>Well, I definitely can't say the same<em>, she thought, although she didn't say it out loud. She knew she had to act politely towards him whenever Hunter of Stephanie were around.  
>Instead, she looked questioning at Stephanie, and said:<br>"Uhm, I don't wanna be rude or anything, but... why is Seth here?"  
>Nikki couldn't help but notice the surprise on Rollins' face at hearing her call him by his first name.<br>"Well, that's a good question, Nikki", Triple H said, answering instead of his wife. "Seth is here because Stephanie and I have decided to put you two into a storyline to represent the Authority."  
>"A <em>storyline<em>?" Nikki asked, feeling even more confused than before.  
>"Yes", Stephanie said. "We need the Authority to be relatable and representable to <em>all<em> members of the WWE universe. And while Hunter and I may very well stand for the Authority already, we think there is need of a younger couple representing the _future_ of the WWE."  
>Before Nikki could start to put all things together in her mind, Triple H spoke: "And that is why we have called you two here today. As Mr. Money in the Bank and our future Divas Champion, you two would be the perfect representation for the future of this company. Therefore we want you to become the Authority's new power couple."<br>Nikki was shocked. _They cannot be serious about this_, she thought. She looked over at Seth and saw he looked surprised as well, but when he noticed her staring at him, he looked straight at her and started grinning in his overly arrogant way.  
>"Well, I definitely think we could pull this off", he said, nodding at Triple H.<br>"What about you, Nikki?" Stephanie said, giving her a look that said "_Don't disappoint me"_.  
>"Of course I will do it, if it is what's best for business", Nikki said, putting on her best fake smile, "but wouldn't it be all staged?"<br>"Yes, but nobody needs to know about that. Both you and Seth have some good acting skills, otherwise Hunter and I wouldn't be so sure that you could pull this off. Besides, you two seem to get along just fine, so it wouldn't be uncomfortable for either one of you, would it?"  
>"Of course not", Nikki said, and this time she was actually wondering if Stephanie or Triple H could tell she was lying straight to their faces. If so, they didn't seem to mind, and why should they? <em>As long as I'm acting according to their plan, they're satisfied<em>, she thought. As for Seth, Nikki was sure he had to know she was lying. She had told him several times over the past few weeks how much she despised him, although there had been some moments between the two of them recently that made her question her opinion on him. Even though she would never admit it to herself, let alone anybody else, there was something about him that attracted her, in a weird and confusing kind of way.  
>"Well, the deal is settled, then", Triple H said. "You two will be introduced as the Authority's new power couple on <em>Raw<em> right after _Night of Champions_. We will let you know about what we want you to say and how we want you to act before the show. This could be a major step in both your careers, so do not disappoint us."  
>"Honey<em>, I'm sure<em> they won't", Stephanie said, putting on her business smile again.

_Great, _Nikki thought as she headed back to the locker room. _Now I have to act like I'm in a relationship with that douchebag._  
>As she picked up her bag, Cameron walked over to her.<br>"Hey girl, what's up with that angry look on your face? You'll get yourself crinkles!"  
>Nikki actually had to smile at Cameron's comments. They were so inappropriate sometimes, but they never failed to make her smile.<br>"That's what I wanna see, girl", Cameron said. "Now, tell me who made you so upset. Was it John again?"  
>"No, no it has actually nothing to do with John, I haven't really heard any more from him ever since he ended it. I… I was basically just told by Stephanie and Triple H that they want <em>Seth Rollins<em> and me to be this kind of fake-pretend-power couple to represent the Authority. They want the storyline to start right after _Night of Champions_."  
>"So? Seth's not too bad. I mean he's definitely hot, you've got to give him that!" Cameron replied.<br>"Cameron!" Nikki said, giving her friend a fake hit. "It doesn't matter if he's good looking, he's disgusting and annoying and… ugh, I just don't like the guy _at all_."  
>"I'll tell you what. You'll go and act all lovey-dovey with him in front of the camera, because it's good for your career. But if he actually tries to make a move on you as soon as the cameras are <em>off<em>, you'll simply be all _boy-bye_."  
>Nikki had to laugh at Cameron's choice of words again. Only she could come up with something like <em>lovey-dovey<em>.  
>"Well, I guess you're right", she replied, sighing, but feeling much better now.<br>To most people, Cameron simply seemed like a foolish bitch, because that's how she acted while she was in front of the camera, but in reality, she was more empathetic than one might think. Nikki said goodbye to her friend, grabbed her bag and left the arena, and although she was still not necessarily _happy_ about the situation, she figured she might as well make the best out of it. Stephanie had been right after all, it _could_ be an important step for her career, so she tried to concentrate on solely that aspect and keep _Seth Rollins_ completely out of her thoughts.

As soon as Nikki arrived in the parking lot, she felt a bad premonition come over her. She walked that way to her car – and saw Seth Rollins leaning on the engine hood, smiling at her with that incredibly arrogant look on his face.  
>Nikki tried not to look too surprised. "What the hell are <em>you<em> doing here, leaning on _my car_, _Rollins_?" she hissed.  
>"I was waiting for you", he replied. Nikki felt a weird feeling starting to build up in her stomach at the bluntness of his answer.<br>"And _why _were you waiting for me?" she said, trying to sound as annoyed as possible.  
>"Well, since you and I will be the Authority's new dream couple from now on, I thought we should get to know each other a little better."<br>Now Nikki was beginning to feel seriously uncomfortable. _Get yourself together, for heaven's sake! _she told her inner self.  
>"First of all, we're not going to be a dream couple <em>for real<em>, it's all going to be _staged_. Second of all, I think I already know you well enough to be sure that I don't want to find out _anything else _about you, _Rollins_", she spat.  
>"You look pretty cute when you're trying to act like you don't like me, even though we both know you <em>have a thing for me<em>", he winked at her.  
>Nikki felt a blush creeping up her cheeks. <em>How dare him!?<em>, she thought.  
>"Don't get your hopes up Rollins, I'm into good-looking men who have got <em>manners<em>, not into arrogant assholes like _you_", she snapped, trying to look away so he wouldn't notice the blush on her cheeks.  
>"<em>Ouch!<em> That _hurt _Nikki, seriously", he replied, his smug grin widening even more.  
>He walked towards her, and stopped right in front of her, looking her straight in the eyes.<br>"Why don't you drop all these fake insults for once and get to know me? I might surprise you", he said, his eyes never leaving hers.  
>"What do you want?" she replied, her voice barely louder than a whisper.<br>"Have dinner with me. Tomorrow", he said.  
>Nikki felt a mixture of nervousness and excitement wash over her. <em>Why is he having this effect on me?<em>  
>"O-okay", she replied, although the moment she said it she knew she would regret it later.<br>He finally took a step back, giving her room to breathe. "Good", he said, smiling. "I'll pick you up in the lobby at 8. I'm looking forward to it, _Nikki_."  
>He smiled at her once more, then left.<br>_What the fuck_ _did I just get myself into?!_ Nikki thought, letting out a sigh before she got in her car and drove to her hotel.

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><p><strong>Sooo do you guys like it? I hope so! I decided to leave the dinner for the next chapter, so there will be more suspense (and because that way I can update more frequently).<br>Cheers! **


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, except the storyline.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 4<strong>

Nikki Bella stood in front of the mirror in her hotel room, looking at her reflection and wondering what to wear. _If you hadn't been so stupid as to get yourself in this horrible situation, none of this would be your problem right now_, she thought, and let out a sigh. _And now there's no turning back_. She was right: No matter in what transfixed state of mind she might have been in at that moment, she had, in fact, agreed to going on a date with Seth Rollins, for reasons that were unknown to herself, or, at least, reasons she _didn't want to_ _admit_ to herself.  
>She turned away from the mirror and sat down on her bed, grabbing her phone. <em>But who am I supposed to talk to?<em>, she asked herself, frowning. Naturally, Brie had always been the first person she would talk to when something bothered her. But, of course, that was no option now. _It's better this way_, Nikki thought. _All Brie ever did was try to judge me anyway_.  
>Still, that didn't solve her problem of having to talk to someone about the whole <em>Seth Rollins<em>-issue. She scrolled through her contact list on her phone. _Cameron? No, she probably wouldn't take this seriously enough_. Besides, Nikki knew that her friend currently had relationship issues with her boyfriend Vincent, so she didn't really want to bother Cameron with her problems.  
>Summer and Layla weren't smart options either, as Nikki was quite sure they would spread the gossip as soon as she would tell them.<br>That left… _Nattie_. Nikki wasn't sure where she and Natalya stood in their friendship. Although the Canadian had never openly judged Nikki on her actions at _SummerSlam_, the two of them hadn't really interacted as much as they did before her betrayal of Brie. Natalya had mentioned several times that she didn't want to take any sides in the fight between Nikki and Brie, so Nikki had refrained from forcing her to choose.  
>But this time was different, this time she desperately needed someone to talk to, otherwise Nikki was fairly sure she'd go insane.<br>She dialed Natalya's number and waited, until her slightly older friend picked up.  
>"Hello? Nikki, is this you?" Nattie asked.<br>"Yes, it's me, Nattie. Look, if this isn't a good time, it's no problem, I can call you back-"  
>"No no, I've got some time to myself at the moment, and it's nice to hear from you. How is everything going? You know, I heard about… John and you…" Natalya said, apparently not unsure how to continue her sentence.<br>"Everything's alright, I guess", Nikki replied. "Don't worry about John and me, though. It was pretty hard for the first few days after the break-up, but I'm pretty sure that it was for the better."  
>"I am so relieved to hear that. You know, I was worried about you, but I didn't really know if I should come up to you, because… well, I hope you understand this whole fight between you and Brie hasn't been exactly easy for me. I really don't want to disappoint either of you guys since both of you are my friends", Nattie said, and Nikki knew by the sound of her friend's voice that she was being honest.<br>"I understand, Nattie. Thank you for not picking sides, I honestly appreciate it. But the reason I was actually calling you was because… well, I guess I need to talk to someone about something that's been on my mind for the past few days and I don't really know how to deal with it, exactly", Nikki said, biting her lip.  
>"Well of course you can tell me. What's on your mind? Has something happened?"<br>"Well…", Nikki replied, unsure what to say. "It's not like anything specific happened, it's just… let's just say I've met someone. And while on the one hand he's basically _everything_ I _dislike_ in a guy, on the other hand I think there might be something more to him, I know how weird that sounds but sometimes when he's around I just… I feel like there's something about him, I don't know _what exactly_, but somehow I just can't seem to get him out of my mind. Nattie, please tell me I'm not insane…"  
>Natalya gave a small laugh, then answered: "No, I <em>don't <em>think you're going insane. Even though I've really only ever been with TJ in my life, I think I understand what you're saying, somehow. So what's the plan, do you want to get to know the guy or just try to forget him?"  
>"That's the thing. He's asked me out for dinner. For <em>tonight<em>. And I'm just really unsure what to expect, or whether I should just cancel the whole thing or…"  
>"I say you should give it a try. Nikki, it's <em>one date<em>, right? It's certainly not your first and it almost certainly won't be your last. And if he behaves horribly or you realize halfway through the evening he's basically not your type _at all_, then it will be much easier for you to move on from this whole thing than if you cancel and spend the evening thinking about how it could've been."  
>Nikki let out a sigh of relief. "You're so right Nattie, thank you. I guess I was just overreacting since my last date was with John, months ago. And… I just realized I <em>really<em> missed you. Thank you for helping me out, really. If you'd like, maybe we could go for a coffee together sometime soon…?"  
>"Anytime Nikki. I really missed you, too, and I would really like to see you soon and catch up. But unfortunately, I think I have to go now, TJ just got home and I'm pretty sure he wants something to eat." The Canadian let out a soft laugh.<br>"No problem. See you soon and have a nice evening with TJ!" Nikki replied.  
>"And you have a nice evening with Mr. X", Natalya replied, making Nikki laugh. "Tell me how it went tomorrow! See you, bye!"<br>Nikki hung up and put her phone back in her bag. She definitely felt much better now.  
><em>Nattie's right. If it turns out he's a complete asshole, I'll just leave and forget about the whole thing<em>, she told herself, and as she stood in front of the mirror this time, she felt much more confident than just minutes before.  
>She picked out her outfit – <em>Louboutins and her favorite red dress<em> – and went to the bathroom to put on make-up and perfume.

**About one hour later**

Nikki quickly looked in the mirror one last time, grabbed her purse and then left her hotel room. She took a deep breath and walked to the elevator. He had told her to meet up in the lobby at 8, so she was a little late, because she didn't want to be totally punctual. _Otherwise he might think I'm so excited to go out with him that I can hardly wait_, she thought. And since that would probably only add to Seth's cockiness, she decided to show up just a few minutes after the arranged time.  
>The moment the elevator arrived at the lobby and its door opened, Nikki felt a feeling of nervousness form in her stomach and her throat go dry. She swallowed and kept her head up. She wasn't going to let him see her struggling to retain her composure.<br>Seth was already standing near the reception desk, and as if he had sensed it must've been Nikki who had arrived, he turned around to face her, smiling at her as she walked up to him.  
>He was dressed all in black, from jacket to shoes, and held his <em>Money in the Bank<em>-briefcase firmly in his left hand. She could see him opening his mouth, but before he could say anything, she asked him, with a grin on her face: "Do you _really_ have to take that god-damn briefcase _everywhere you go_, Rollins?"  
>He smiled. "Well, I'm the future of our company, and that must be represented at all times. You never know who you're going to meet. However…" she could see his eyes quickly roam over her body, and if she wasn't mistaken – and she almost <em>never<em> was – she could see them lingering just a moment longer on her chest – "You look… stunning", he said, smirking. "Red suits you, I have to say."  
>"Watch your eyes, Rollins. You know what they say, you can look, but you can't touch", Nikki said, smiling. Seth chuckled. "Anyway", Nikki said, "where are we going? You mentioned dinner and told me to meet up here, but you didn't exactly say what you had in mind."<br>"Just wait and see. Anyway, the limo's waiting, so we should get going."  
>While they were doing just that, Nikki tried to hide the rush of excitement that was coming over her. <em>A limo!<em>, she thought. _When has John ever picked me up in a limo for date? Once or twice, at the most_. _Then again, this is probably all part of Seth's arrogant attitude._  
>After a short drive in the limo, they arrived at the bar Seth chose for the night. To her surprise, he not only helped her out of the car, but also opened the door for her and ordered drinks for the two of them right away before joining her at their table.<br>"I have to say, I'm the surprised", Nikki said. "The last man on this earth that I assumed to be a gentleman was,... well, you, Rollins." She feigned a smile.  
>"Ouch. That hurt", he grinned.<br>"What did you order for me, anyway? You don't know me, how would you know what I like to drink?" Nikki asked.  
>"I thought I invited you for us to get to know each other better, not for you to insult me all evening", he said, still grinning. "I ordered a Margarita for you, since I figured you would like that. Was I wrong?"<br>Nikki let out a sigh, but had to smile nonetheless. "No, you were _not_ wrong, Rollins. Happy now?" She raised her eyebrows.  
>"Yes, very happy", Seth replied. The look on his face was so incredibly self-satisfied that Nikki had to let out a laugh.<br>"So, are you really this full of yourself all the time or is that part of your shtick?" she asked, and for a moment she thought that she might have crossed a line and he would feel insulted. Her concern formed into relieve when she saw a small smirk cross his face. He leaned towards her side of the table now, looking her straight in the eyes. Nikki felt herself beginning to blush at his intense gaze, and internally railed at her body for reacting this way.  
>"Why don't you find out for yourself?" he asked, still looking at her.<br>Fortunately for Nikki, their drinks arrived at that moment, and he leaned back in his seat. _I just can't figure him out when he's staring at me like that_, she thought, letting out a small sigh.  
>She took a sip from her drink, trying to regain her composure.<br>"So, tell me about you", he said. "Of course, I already know some stuff – we work together after all – but I want to get to know you."  
>Nikki took a breath, and wondered how she should start.<br>And then she told him – about how she got into WWE, why she and Brie had departed with the company in 2012 and why they came back, what kind of workout she mostly liked to do, and about her real estate work, which she was really proud of.  
>To her surprise, Seth stayed quiet most of the time she was talking, only interrupting her when he wanted to ask her a question. He seemed genuinely interested in what she told him, and there was not one of his usual smart-ass remarks. She did not mention her relationship with Brie, however, and she also did not talk about John Cena. Those were two topics that she wanted to keep to herself for now. Nikki wasn't yet sure if she could really trust the man sitting across from her, or if all of this was just a show he arranged for his amusement.<br>Seth did seem to understand, as he did not question her about either one of the subjects. _Or he simply doesn't care_, she thought, although she didn't say it out loud.  
>When she was finished, Nikki raised her eyebrows and asked him to tell her about him in return.<br>Although he did start off with some smug comments about himself and his accomplishments and features, which mostly made Nikki role her eyes at him, as he continued talking, his tone got more serious and it seemed to her like he was showing her the _real_ Seth Rollins for once, not just _Mr. Money in the Bank_.  
>She understood he didn't want to talk about his past in The Shield, and his motives for "buying in", as he had called it, and she didn't ask him any questions about it.<br>Just like her issues with her twin sister, his relations with his former brothers was something one did not talk about on a first date.

When they drove back to their hotel in the limo, Nikki was conflicted about what to feel. He had surprised her, as he had promised, but she wasn't sure if she should like it or not.  
>His attitude and the way he behaved most of the time had always made it easy for her to <em>despise<em> him, no matter if she found him attractive or not.  
>But the side of him he had shown her today made things much more difficult. Nikki had <em>liked<em> talking to him, and every once in a while throughout the evening, he had sent her one of his intense glares that made her knees get weak, whether she wanted to admit it or not.  
>They sat in the limo in uncomfortable silence, and after a while, Nikki could feel his gaze on her, which unnerved her. She turned around and their eyes locked, and suddenly, all insults and bad thoughts Nikki had had in mind died, at least for that moment. She felt a prickle creeping up her stomach as he slowly leaned towards her. For a moment, they simply looked each other in the eyes, and Nikki noticed she actually <em>wanted <em>him to kiss her, which scared her and excited her at the same time.  
>"We should probably get out of the car", he whispered in a barely audible voice.<br>"W-what?", Nikki replied, awakening from her transfixed state of mind.  
>"The limo has been standing in front of the hotel for almost 5 minutes now", he replied, his lips forming into a small smile.<br>"Oh", was the only thing Nikki managed to say, feeling herself blush.  
>"I'll see you tomorrow, Nikki. It has been a very <em>interesting<em> evening, I have to say", Seth said.  
>"Yes, I'll uhm… see you tomorrow", she smiled, and got out of the car. She felt like running to her room as fast as she could, but she managed to stay as calm as possible without letting her excitement and confusion show.<br>As soon as she got back to her room, she let herself fall on the bed and let out a huge sigh.  
><em>Holy sh*t, when was the last time I felt like this?! <em>Nikki thought, before she changed and got ready to go to sleep.  
>Although she hardly got any sleep that night.<p>

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><p><strong>Thank you guys so much for all the favs and follows, you have no idea how much this means to me, especially considering that this is my very first fanfiction :)<br>I was really unsure writing this chapter, and I still am, because this is definitely the most personal chapter yet, so please let me know if you liked it or not :)**

**Cheers!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, except the storyline.**

**FYI: Slight AU here, I'm happy Nikki's champion now, but to make this story work, I had to make her win the title at NOC already.:)**

**A big shoutout and thank you to all the people who have left favs, follows and reviews, you guys are amazing, it means so much!  
><strong>

**I hope you like this one, please let me know. :)  
><strong>

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><p><strong>Chapter 5<strong>

_**Night of Champions**_

It was like time had stopped, if only for a few moments. Everything seemed to slow down, the noise of the audience, the hand of the referee as it slammed down on the mat for those distinct three times, AJ's lifeless body right in front of her, the voice of Justin Roberts as he proclaimed the outcome of the match, and finally, how the referee grabbed her arm and raised it, signalling her victory – everything seemed to fade into each other, like one fluent motion. For a moment, Nikki almost couldn't believe what was happening, what _had_ happened – until she saw Paige standing at the corner of the ring, screaming and crying in despair, because she had lost her title without being involved in the outcome:  
>Nikki Bella had just won the Divas Championship for the second time in her career, by delivering the <em>Rack Attack<em> to A.J. Lee. Paige had been out of the ring at the time, and had not managed to get back between the ropes quick enough to stop Nikki from pinning A.J. to win the match.  
>Nikki couldn't believe it. She felt overwhelmed. Yes, she had felt confident heading into the match, she had told herself to be <em>fearless<em> and that she would deserve to come out as the new champion. But had she fully believed herself? Had she truly believed that all of the hard work she had invested over the last few years would truly pay off?  
>Judging from the incredible wave of emotion that was overcoming her, definitely not.<br>Just as she realized that her dream had truly come true, that she was the new Divas champion, Nikki grabbed the title that was now rightfully hers, and raised it up above her head.  
>It didn't matter anymore that Brie had had some bad words for her before the match, and it didn't matter that not all of the people in the arena were cheering for her, but most of the audience was booing her, in fact. It didn't matter anymore. Because now, she was the champion. She was the <em>face<em> of the Diva's division. And _nobody_ in this arena was able to take it away from her, neither Brie nor anybody else.  
>Nikki confidently put the belt around her waist and left her defeated opponents behind. She knew that there would be an aftermath to this – Paige still had her rematch clause that she was able to evoke at any time – but right now, Nikki didn't care. All she wanted was to revel in her success of tonight, to make that wonderful feeling stay as long as possible.<br>She walked backstage and headed straight back to the locker room, when she heard Stephanie McMahon, her boss and fellow member of the Authority, call out to her.  
>Nikki turned around to see Stephanie smiling at her. "Nikki, I just wanted to congratulate you on your incredible win! You did great tonight, and you deserve it. I'm very happy to see you succeed. This not only is a major step-up in your career, it is also another brick in the wall of success and dominance of the Authority. I am proud of you, Nikki. You told me you would not let me down and you certainly kept your end of the deal."<br>Nikki was surprised, Stephanie seemed genuinely happy for her. Maybe she had misjudged the older woman a bit. She smiled back and said: "Thank you, Stephanie. Not only for this, but also for giving me this title shot, without it, I wouldn't stand here as the new champion."  
>"You're very welcome", Stephanie said. "You see, your choice to join us was definitely what's best for business. But I'm sorry Nikki, I have to go, my husband wants to see me. I'll see you later." And with that, the <em>Billion Dollar Princess<em> was gone, and Nikki continued her way back to the locker room, still feeling as happy as before.  
>As soon as she entered, some of the girls immediately came up to her to congratulate her – Cameron even <em>ran<em> up to her to pull her into a hug, which made Nikki laugh, while others simply ignored her or sent her some envious glares.  
>To Nikki's surprise and joy, Natalya congratulated her, too, pulling her into a deep hug, although some of Brie's closest friends were present. Brie herself had left the locker room earlier, probably to escape the celebration of her sister.<br>_She never believed in me, anyway. It's good she's away, that way she doesn't spoil my amazing evening_, Nikki told herself, although there was still a part of her, no matter how little it was, that felt disappointed that Brie had not stayed to at least look at her face to face.  
>After she had celebrated her win with the other girls, she showered and changed her outfit. As soon as she was ready to leave, Natalya came up to her once more, and gestured she wanted to talk to Nikki more privately this time. The two of them left the locker room and found a more quiet place for them both to sit down and talk.<br>"So, now that we have celebrated your win properly", Natalya said, smiling, "why don't you tell me how your date with _Mr. X_ went the other night?"  
>Nattie started to wiggle her eyebrows a little, which made Nikki laugh.<br>"Well", she answered, "to be honest, you were definitely right. It was a good idea I didn't cancel it. It actually went… pretty well, even though that surprised me." She smiled.  
>"That's good to hear. I feared that he may have behaved like a total jerk and you were sorry for listening to me in the first place", Natalya laughed.<br>"No, no that was definitely not the case. And even if he had behaved like an idiot, I would definitely not blame you for it."  
>"So", Natalya said, "I'm not entirely sure if I should even ask you this, and if you don't want to answer, then you don't have to, but… do I know this <em>certain someone<em>?"  
>Nikki tried her best not to blush, but failed.<br>Natalya laughed. "So I'm guessing this means _I do know him_?"  
>"Well…", Nikki replied, unsure if it was too early to tell Nattie that it was, in fact, <em>the Authority's golden boy <em>who she had gone out with.  
>"You don't really <em>know<em> him, personally, I mean. But if you're asking if he's in the WWE, then… the answer is yes."  
>Natalya looked at Nikki and seemed to read her friend's thoughts.<br>"If you don't want to tell anyone who it is, I understand. Sometimes it's better to wait until you're sure of something before telling anyone about it. But if you need someone to talk to, I'm here, you know that, right?"  
>Nikki smiled at her older friend. <em>Nattie seems so wise sometimes, like she really knows how someone feels<em>, she thought.  
>"Thank you Nattie, it means a lot. And you'll be the first I'll talk to, I promise", Nikki smiled.<br>"You're welcome. I have to leave now, but I'll see you around. Congratulations on your win, once more. Have a good night, Nikki!" Natalya waved at her friend once more before leaving.  
>A smile formed on Nikki's face. After her talk with Natalya, she felt even more confident than before. She made her way to the parking lot to leave, when she heard a familiar voice call out her name.<p>

"Hey Nikki! Where are you going? You haven't even given me a chance to congratulate you!"  
>She turned around to see Seth Rollins walking toward her, with a smile on his face, although he did look exhausted.<br>"I'm _very_ sorry, Rollins", she said sarcastically, "but what's the matter with you? You look exhausted."  
>"That idiot Ambrose showed up out of nowhere and we had a pretty tough fight. It was pretty unexpected", Seth answered, clearly infuriated at the interruption by his former <em>Shield<em> brother.  
>"Oh wow. Sounds like you had one hell of a night", Nikki answered, raising her eyebrows. Even though she would never admit it to him, she felt worried at the thought of him getting hurt.<br>"Yeah, but I survived it. I'll make him pay for it soon enough", he said, before focussing on Nikki again. "But let's talk about _your_ night. Congratulations. Not that I was surprised, I was sure you were going to win the title. But congratulations, nonetheless." He smirked.  
>"You were sure I was going to win the title?", Nikki asked, raising her eyebrows. "And why is that, <em>Rollins<em>? A.J. and Paige were pretty tough competition. It's not like it was _easy_."  
>"I know", he answered, still looking at her with that ever-so-confident smile on his face. "But I was sure you would win. Simply because have what it takes to be a champion, and you deserve it. The way you talked about what the title means to you that night we went out – you were so passionate about it. <em>That's <em>why I was sure you were going to win."  
>Nikki was speechless for a moment, and couldn't help but blush.<br>_He remembers what I talked about that night, and even how important it was to me?_  
>She couldn't help but blush. He chuckled at her reaction. "Uhm… Thank you, Seth", she said.<br>His eyes widened at hearing her calling him by his first name. He looked her straight in the eyes. "You're welcome, Nikki."  
>They stood there in silence for a moment, before Seth said: "Oh, you do remember that tomorrow will be the start of our storyline, right? I talked to Hunter before and he said they want us to meet up with them at his office before <em>Raw<em> tomorrow to discuss what they want us to do and say."  
>"Oh yeah, right. Thanks for letting me know." <em>Shit, I completely forgot about that!<em>, Nikki thought. _Oh my God, what if they want us to kiss? It's a love storyline, after all. And what kind of couple doesn't kiss?! _  
>Before she could continue to think about potential scenarios of their storyline, she was brought back to reality by Seth:<br>"So, I was wondering…" he said, scratching the back of his head and looking away. _  
>He almost looks like he's nervous<em>, Nikki thought.  
>"You were wondering…?" she asked him to continue.<br>He smiled at her. "I was wondering if maybe you wanted to celebrate your win with a glass of champagne, maybe? We could go down to the hotel bar or… or I'll just let them send one up to your room and we could toast to your win?", he asked her, looking at her.  
>"Oh.", was all she managed to get out. She certainly didn't see <em>that<em> coming. "Yeah, why not?" she finally replied.  
>He smiled. "Alright, then I'll see you later, Nikki." He winked at her, then turned around and walked away.<br>Nikki let out a sigh before making her way to her car and driving back to the hotel. Although she was trying her best to stay focussed on the road, she found her thoughts drifting back to Seth and their conversation from earlier all the time.

Nikki sat on the edge of her bed, trying to distract herself by playing around with her phone. She decided to send Nattie a message.

_Seeing 'Mr. X' again in a few minutes ;)  
>-xoxo Nikki<em>

Nikki had to smile at the answer from her friend:

_Haha wow! Have fun and let me know how it went tomorrow! ;)  
>-Nattie<em>

Just as Nikki thought about sending Natalya another message, there was a knock at her door. She breathed in slowly, took a last look in the mirror, and then walked to the door and opened.  
>Seth had a bottle of champagne in his right hand, smiling at her.<br>Nikki stepped aside to let him come in. She grabbed two glasses, handed him one of them and he filled both of them with the champagne.  
>"To our new Divas Champions!" Seth proclaimed, smiling at her. They toasted, and Nikki took a sip from her drink. Even though it was supposed to calm her nerves, she still couldn't help but feel nervous. Seth looked at her, their eyes locked, and she had the feeling of falling, getting lost in his brown orbs. He suddenly cleared his throat, and said: "You know, since Stephanie and Hunter want us to be some kind of <em>couple<em> to represent the Authority, they will probably want us to… kiss."  
>Nikki could feel her cheeks turning all kinds of red. "I know", she answered, her voice low. "I have thought about that possibility as well."<br>She looked down, and he said: "Well, that's the thing. Because I really don't want our first kiss to be in front of thousands of people."  
>Her eyes widened. "B-but Seth, it would be a staged kiss anyway,... right?" she asked, and she didn't know what answer she should expect, what answer she wanted to hear, in that moment, she had forgotten everything. Except for him.<br>He looked at her for a moment, then asked: "Is this staged as well, Nikki?"  
>Before Nikki could ask him what he meant, she felt his lips on hers, softly, almost as if he was waiting for to return the kiss. She hesitated for a moment, then kissed back, just as softly. When Nikki felt his hand on her neck, pulling her in, and his tongue begging for entrance at her mouth, she felt like she was losing all of her senses. But in that moment, she couldn't have cared less. She returned the favour, grabbing his neck and deepening the kiss.<p>

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><p><strong>So, what do you guys think? I really hope you like it. Next chapter will be <em>Raw <em>plus the aftermath of the kiss - drama all the way! :D  
><strong>**Cheers! **


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